But that doesn't mean Martin is off the hook. Bono, a long-time activist for Third World debt relief, says he's not giving up on Martin. He asked the crowds not to give up on him either.

"I think we're going to figure this thing out. I think he's a great leader for Canada and that he can do what we want him to do, to lead the world out of despair and poverty, this year."

Bono went on to challenge Martin, asking him to deliver on the commitment to raise Canada's foreign aid spending to 0.7 per cent of the country's GDP by 2015. He even went on to flash a phone number on screens above the stage, asking fans to call Martin to remind him of his promise.

"If you people believe in it, I believe Paul Martin is the kind of person who will listen to you," Bono said. "Get out your phones. Dangerous little devices, these cell phones."

As the glow of dialing cell phones lit Vancouver's GM Place, Bono stayed on message. "We want to make poverty history," he screamed. "This is the year!"

Yes, Bono - one day you will be remembered in history as one of the most bankrupt individuals of the 21st century. He cannot even wait for the results of the Gomery inquiry, but continues to campaign for Martin.

Fans also showed their support for more foreign aid by buying white rubber bracelets being sold at the concert. Printed on them is the message 'Make Poverty History.'

The bracelets are part of a larger campaign being backed by Bono and other celebrities including Sarah McLachlan, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. The campaign will officially kick off in Canada Friday, when a downtown Vancouver church will be wrapped in a white band.

I think he got his colours mixed up - red bands more appropriately expressing his message. And as for Cameron Diaz, I was reading Billy Beck the other day and found this newstory:

A new MTV series features Hollywood celebrities praising the developing world's primitive lifestyles as earth-friendly -- despite those poor nations' high infant mortality rates and short life expectancies [. . .]

The 32-year-old Diaz, who earns a reported $20-million a movie, boasted that the cow-dung slathered walls of a Nepalese village hut were "beautiful" and "inspiring," and she called the primitive practice of "pounding mud" with sticks to construct a building foundation "the coolest thing."

Diaz also criticized the lifestyles of many Americans after visiting an indigenous village in Chile. "It's kinda gotten out of hand how much convenience we think we need," she said.

Despite the celebrities' praise for the primitive life, "Trippin'" shows them flying on multiple airplanes and chartering at least two helicopters and one boat to reach remote locations over the course of the first four episodes.

The series also showed the celebrities being chauffeured to the airport in a full-size Chevy SUV -- despite several on-screen, anti-SUV factoids noting how environmentally unfriendly SUVs are [. . .]

When Barrymore (star of "E.T." and "Charlie's Angel's," to name a few of her films) bragged about defecating in the forest, Diaz responded she would like to have the same experience.

Diaz lauded the Nepalese villagers' practice of slathering cow dung as a form of wall plaster used to coat the walls: "Nothing goes to waste. It is beautiful. It is inspiring," she said. "It is incredible to see how in tune these people are with the environment; they are completely self-sufficient, Diaz added [. . .]

Diaz offered an alternative to the proposed aluminum factory: "Each of us can make a difference. If everyone recycled the aluminum cans they used, there would be no need for new smelters," Diaz told viewers.

"So stop being a f---ng (bleeped by MTV) pig and recycle your aluminum cans," she added with a laugh.

Diaz also explained her opposition to the proposed highway: "They are going to replace something that is truly unique with something that is everywhere."

In praise of poverty. The history of poverty will indeed remember these hypocritical celebrities who in their quest for quaint vacation spots actually want to steal money from Western nations to keep these struggling nations poor and dependent. But the question here is of what use is foreign aid if these people should be praised for their lifestyle? They can just continue to recycle their meager resources afterall. Maybe the idea is to set up public health care, although here in Canada we cannot even support our own system. They wouldn't be thinking of propping up any corrupt regimes would they? And I guess these celebrities need travel money to continue their missionary work, although personally I'd like to see these bohemians, and that includes David Suzuki, donate all of their wealth to developing nations and move there besides. I don't much care for the idea of crapping in the woods.

1 Comment:

Section 331 of the Canada Elections Act states "no person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors . . . to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate."

Good thing for Bono it's not an election period. Nah, doesn't matter anyway — Michael Moore got away with it. Only Canadians are not allowed to have anything to say on the subject of their subjectivity.